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Monday, December 29, 2008

Earthchurch is dormant, and has been for about a year. It stillexists, in the form of the website and the email list. There are still27 people subscribed to the discussion list, but no discussions arehappening. There is also a small announcement list, but it's been along time since the last announcement. There are also archives of thediscussions that we had in the past. These are here:http://lists.earthchurch.net/pipermail/discuss-earthchurch.net/

Of course I could simply abandon it, but everytime I read theintroduction on the website, about our fantastic planet, I always feelthis organization is needed. I think it's too potentially important toabandon.

But I'm not the person for the job. Someone is needed who has moreenergy than me, and who is more naturally sociable and charismatic.Mainly, someone who will keep pushing and not give up. The truth isthat I'm old and tired and dispirited. I'm not optimistic about ourplanet's future. (Of course I mean the biosphere; I'm not worriedabout the rock and sand.)

Sunday, December 7, 2008

I don't know if any of you guys ever deliberately form new habits. I have done it many times. The latest one that I've been working on for over a year (!) is to take my canvas shopping bags from my car into the grocery store. A cupla years ago, before I realized that the natural world was doomed, I bought a couple of canvas grocery bags. My initial motivation was to help reduce the plastic bag count on our planet's surface. After using them a cupla times I found that they are much better bags than the plastic ones. They have better handles that are easier to find and don't hurt your hands. Plus, when loaded, you can set them down and they stay upright. That even works when you are also loaded!

But after you get home and put away the stuff, you have to get the bags back to the car for the next trip. That has not been a serious problem because I hang the empty bags on the doorknob. That way, I can't leave the house without seeing them, so I take them out to the car with me. But, they tend to stay in the car! :(

One must develop the habit of taking them from the car into the grocery store. I forget to do this about half the time. Sometimes I don't realize it until I'm in the checkout line; then it's too late to do anything. But often I will realize it when I'm in the middle of shopping. Many times I have quickly left the store, gone quickly to my car, and brought the bags into the store. I do this in an effort to train myself. I'm amazed at how long it has taken, and I'm still not completely trained! Perhaps this particular habit is difficult to form because I only shop about twice a week. Also, exiting the car is something one does frequently for various reasons, not just to go grocery shopping. Besides, I have been buying groceries for fifty years, using the store bags.

Hopefully, writing this may increase my awareness of this issue, and lead me to finally have this new habit!